Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele said Tuesday that a fundraising pitch showing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi surrounded by flames is actually a less extreme version than was first proposed.

The image is on the front page of the RNC’s website, encouraging donations to help “FIRE Nancy Pelosi.”

Asked if he thought the image “bit extreme” during an interview on CBS’s “Early Show,” Steele responded: “Actually, I tamed it down.”

“The reality of it is I don't know why you’re surprised,” the RNC chairman said. “Nancy Pelosi is the architect of the demise of one-sixth of our economy. She should be fired for her failure to serve the interests of the American people.”

“This administration and this Congress thumbed their nose at the American people over the last year,” Steele added. “They did not listen. Their arrogance knows no bounds. So, I’m inviting people to join me in giving us a Congress that will work for the people and … not for Nancy Pelosi.”

The RNC launched the effort soon after the House passed the health care reform legislation late Sunday night. And the campaign passed the $1 million mark shortly before noon Tuesday.